


To Tame a Demon. To Thaw a King.

by Logsnake



Category: Black Clover - Tabata Yuki (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Dark Yuno, Demon Asta, Elf Yuno, It's not as dark as it sounds, Kinda, M/M, Master/Slave, My First Work in This Fandom, Not Beta Read, Not Canon Compliant, Rating May Change, Slow Burn, Tags May Change, Warnings May Change, Wizard King Yuno, in my professional opinion, no everyone wants tea
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2020-12-24 07:04:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21095393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Logsnake/pseuds/Logsnake
Summary: "Threatened by ruthless humans, the elves had for centuries been on the brink of destruction. All seemed lost until a lone elf decided to take up the fight. He restored the elven souls of the past to their rightful bodies and eradicated almost all of the Clover Kingdom’s population. Peace befell our new kingdom, and the overwhelming triumph of the elves became more than legend. It became our reality.”Centuries later and after becoming the Wizard King of the now Sword Kingdom, Yuno is set on removing human kind once and for all. That's when Asta, a ghost of Yuno's past, is brought in against his will, and as Yuno tries to control the boy, he must wonder whether it is not he himself falling under Asta's spell.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> So basically I have dedicated the last two weeks of my life to watching 102 episodes of this show and now I need to write something before I explode. Anyway, this is my first attempt with these characters, but I hope that y'all enjoy whatever trash this is.

"When I was a child I was weaned on my elders’ stories and the mana blessed lands of the Sword Kingdom. I gazed out of the window each day, looking toward where the tainted human hands that tilled our earth worked, and wondered if they held nothing but weakness. I am an elf after all, and as such, power is all I have ever known. The power to subdue. The power to win. The power to rule. And yet you, a boy who even the magicless humans sneered down upon, a boy cursed to be less than nothing, you changed me. You made me smile. You made me push past my limits."

"Not that you can ever beat me, though."

*****

Right as another stream of cool air danced in from the gardens, the elder sighed and worked the glass pane shut.

“Master,” he reprimanded with his smooth, powerful voice, giving nothing about his age. “For the last time, you must go to sleep.”

Across the ornate room, from a spot on a cushion of flower petals and vines, a small pout graced Yuno’s childishly round face. Never one for words, the young elf turned up his chin and unleashed an untrained blast of mana, sending story books sliding over the marble floor.

Slightly shocked by the mess his master had just made, the elder pinched his nose, knowing there was nothing to be done but appease the boy. “You want a story, I suppose,” he stated, reaching down to the book nearest his leather boot. However, right as his hand grazed the worn cover, the story was pushed away by another gust of wind.

Peering through his white bangs, the elder raised an eyebrow at the young boy, sitting regally in bed, not a strand of his black hair out of place for all the damage done to the rest of the chamber. The boy stared back, expectant. When nothing came to the elder, all Yuno could do was roll his eyes and scoff, quite an odd thing for one so young, but perhaps permissible for one so naturally blessed by the mana.

“No,” the elven boy declared.

After waiting a moment, the elder felt a migraine coming on, still not accustomed to the young master’s unique brand of bluntness mixed with vagueness. Nor would he ever feel at ease under those amber eyes, piercing yet uninterested.

Time ticked by, and with nothing else to go on, the elder stepped around the clutter and lowered himself into a cushioned chair next to his master’s flora-based cradle. “What would please you to hear then, Master?”

Not seeming the least bit sleepy, Yuno flicked his eyes away from the elder and to the small tornado he was forming within his palms. “Surprise me.”

The elder inwardly reeled back at that, forcing down the chuckle that threatened to bubble out of his throat in disbelief at how demanding the boy was for seeming to have no actual preference in the story whatsoever. Still, the elder couldn’t afford to let such a sound escape in front of the mighty boy. The boy who would one day become the Wizard King.

Scanning all of the books on the floor, the elder quickly surmised that these were not the stories which the young master desired. So, wracking his brain for an entertaining tale from his studies of history and going through which ones would be most beneficial to the boy’s socialization, he landed on a classic. One that Yuno was bound to hear from today on. A story of where, as much as the humans of the past might have denied, it all _truly_ began.

Brushing a silver lock back, the man stared forward, into nothingness.

“Threatened by ruthless humans, the elves had for centuries been on the brink of destruction. All seemed lost until a lone elf decided to take up the fight. He restored the elven souls of the past to their rightful bodies and eradicated almost all of the Clover Kingdom’s population. However, understanding a need for labor to support a quickly growing elven society, a pack of the weakest of humans from the forsaken realm were generously allowed to live and work like the animals they are. Peace befell our new kingdom, and the overwhelming triumph of the elves, loved by mana and the true rulers of this land, became more than legend. It became our reality.”

Ending his story with a nostalgic shimmer to his eyes, the elder leaned back in his chair, sliding his gaze over to the young master’s blank face. With nothing more to say, the man pushed to his feet, knowing well enough that at the end of the day the boy would decide when it was truly time to sleep. The elder just hoped that his master wouldn’t be up until the golden slivers of dawn again.

About to step out the door, he paused at the gentle whisper of wind curling around the shell of his pointed ear. “Why?” it questioned, conveying the confusion Yuno often struggled to show on his face.

Turning to meet the boy, he found him in front of the window, beams of moonlight pouring in and giving him an ethereal glow.

“Why did the King hurt so many humans? They couldn’t have all done something wrong.”

At the boys words a chuckle did finally leave the elder’s lips. What it was to be young and naïve. To believe that even one of those humans could be any good. '_Well, I suppose it falls on me to teach him the truth.'_

“Young Master, may I ask you to step away from the window once more. If you are so keen on seeing the evils of the human world, I will take you on a tour of the property tomorrow, alright?” Sweeping his hand back towards the flower cradle, unimpressed, stubborn amber eyes refused to follow the movement.

Sighing, the elder lowered his pale appendage in defeat. “Master, all humans are evil, then and now. And don’t even get me started on the demons. It is only the elves that are fit rule. While they prey on each other, we foster growth. We love our brothermen, something which humans are incapable of. You’ll see these truths one day, and when you become Wizard King, maybe you can finally think of a feasible solution to eradicate them all.”

A smile beginning to bloom on the elder’s face, he inched toward the boy. “I have a wonderful idea, Master. Why don’t you dream about your future as the Wizard King tonight? All who have felt your mana are aware of your power. When you are grown, you shall be unbeatable, so there is no harm in brainstorming now.”

The boy still looked unimpressed, but with one more glance across the land, he moved away from the window. The elder’s shoulders sagged in relief as vines curled around their ward.

“Sweet dreams, Master. You’ll need the calm tonight before tackling tomorrow.”

*****

Yuno was awake long before daybreak, a swirl of excitement and worry pooling in his gut. Last night he had dreamed of the humans, long nails and torn clothes and sharp teeth – a contrast to the pristine of his every day. But today, today was finally the day he could explore more than the inner section of his family’s property and see what these monsters he had been told of over the course of his whole life were truly like.

Releasing some of his nerves with a gush of air, Yuno shook his head. No use getting so worried. He was the strongest out there. He’d be just fine, blood thirsty humans or not.

With that, Yuno schooled his features; even the walls weren’t allowed to see a hint of his weakness. Nodding to himself, Yuno turned away from the window and towards the wardrobe, tugging out the most worn of his garments. Next, he pulled his oddly blackened streaks of hair behind his pair of pointed ears and into a pint-sized ponytail. Regarding his pale skin in a looking glass as dawn broke outside, his reflection stared back.

The boy tilted his head. The reflection did the same.

The boy sheepishly waved his hand. His hand waved back.

Clearing his throat, Yuno courteously nodded to his second self. “Hello,” he whispered.

“No, no, they won’t hear me like that.” Reprimanding himself, the boy attempted once more.

“Hello,” he spoke with more force. “Hello, Mr. human. Wonderful weather we’re having. Why yes, I am an elf. No, don’t worry, I know you’re evil, but I’ll kindly let you keep talking to me.” Flashing his best smile, which to be sincere was a little more than an upward curve of the lips, the practice conversation continued in his head.

“Oh, no, I don’t think I’m allowed to forgive you for all your kind has done.” He frowned as the human’s eyes grew wide and their body dropped to the dirt. “Oh, you don’t have to beg. I don’t think anything will come of it… well if you insist. I am an elf after all, so I suppose some respect is due.”

“What? You want to be friends? I mean, that might be acceptabl—” Yuno slammed his mouth shut as a rapping began on his chamber door. Stumbling away from the mirror, he straightened his linens out.

“You may enter.”

At his consent, the intricately carved door swung open, and in stepped his annoying man servant. Scoffing, Yuno turned away. “Why are you here, Specs? I thought the old man was taking me out today.”

The lanky manservant pushed up his glasses in restrained annoyance. “Well, isn’t someone talkative today? Now, for the last time, Master, please don’t call me “Specs”. Also, you could at least try not to sound so disdained whenever you say it. Anyway, something came up and your instructor is not available, but luckily, you have me.” Klaus tilted his chin up proudly. Yuno rolled his eyes.

“Oh, joy.”

Trying to let to obvious sarcasm roll of his shoulders (and failing by the look of a bulging vein on the man’s forehead), Klaus moved on to the task at hand, but soon stopped. “Master,” he cried, rushing foreword, “What on earth are you wearing?”

The boy looked down, face lacking any understanding.

“You can’t go out looking like that! You are a powerful elf, and the world must know.” The manservant practically teleported to the wardrobe, where he began pulling out item after item.

Yuno stood there, releasing waves of judgement directed at Specs’ back. “Won’t they know by the ears?”

At that, Specs froze, pivoting at a snail’s pace, features utterly appalled. “Master,” he began, “you are far above those creatures. While you have lovely shaped ears, part of an elf’s job is to exude a level of power that humans could never dream to achieve. Now,” he pulled out a golden threaded dress bedazzled in precious gems, glasses a gleaming, “put this on.”

“Yeah, no.”

*****

_'This is it_,' Yuno thought, distractedly stepping into his manservant’s chariot without so much as a complaint. As the clunk of metal rose into the sky, the boy’s little fists clenched his (thankfully not bedazzled) robe.

The higher they went, the more the boy could see, but it was nothing new compared to what shined through his window. However, as they soared ever nearer to the long walls and artificial environment barrier, his eyes widened in anticipation. Finally, he was allowed to go past the grounds’ lush gardens and crystal-clear waterfalls and into the outside world.

Yuno had spent as long as he could remember dreaming about it, but now was finally the time to view the humans in their natural habitat.

Smile plastered to his face, Yuno shut his eyes as they went through the magical barrier, buzzing with the excitement of opening them on the other side. When his ears popped and the natural mana shifted, the boy cracked his amber orbs open, and immediately wanted to close them again.

Below them stretched as far as the eye could see heavily overused fields separated by patches of twisting trees. The air was colder here too, with a sharp slapping so different from the usual warmth that tousled his locks. But the worst was the sounds, loud whip cracks that could be heard even from their aerial position.

Features stone like, Klaus maneuvered the chariot down to a small village of maybe twenty-five buildings nestled between the woods and fields. Landing with a thud, his manservant leapt out of the chariot to approach another elf.

“What’s going on here, Sir?”

“Are you from the manor?” The elf responded instead, pushing back silver strands of hair with the hand not holding a light whip.

With Klaus’ nod of affirmation, the other elf slumped in relief. “Well, I’m glad you’re here. The humans have been getting feisty again lately, saying that we aren’t giving them enough food.”

Frowning, Klaus glanced back at Yuno in concern. “I thought we took care of the rowdier ones last time.”

“Yes, Sir. But it’s the women now. Apparently, their children are without food, and collapsing in the fields left and right. The weaker ones have succumbed to death. For as much as I despise their demands, I fear we will not have enough manpower for the harvest this fall if things remain as they are.”

Yuno had been listening to the conversation intently so far, and mustering as much confidence as he could, he stepped out of the chariot, clearing his throat to draw the two elves’ attention.

“Master,” Klaus gasped, “get back in the carriage at once.”

Of course, ignoring his manservant, the boy continued forward. “Why not just harvest yourself?” He asked, not understanding what all the fuss was about. Apparently, however, the suggestion was quite amusing, for the stranger of an elf began to chuckle.

“Seriously, kid. You want mighty elves to lower themselves to manual labor. I’d rather starve!”

“Then go ahead.”

The elf stopped his chuckling to glare at Yuno before a smirk came to his face. “I see we got an unruly one right here, reminds me of humans—” the man’s condescending voice turned into a grunt as Klaus slapped a hand across his pale face, turning it red.

Fuming, he stood protectively between Yuno and the other elf. “Do not dare say such words to my master, you heathen.”

The shocked elf was about to respond when a shout came from the fields, along with a high-pitched shriek coupled by wailing.

Draped in magically enforced clothing, two more men appeared, panting. “S-sir, it’s the women. They’ve taken some knives and are threating to kill themselves unless we provide more food. I would kill them, but our human stock has been on the decline recently.”

“Of course.” His reddened face now all business, the stranger elf glanced at Klaus. “Could you spare a moment?”

“I’m sorry, but my duty is to my Master.” Stepping back toward the chariot, Klaus became conflicted when the shouting increased, screams only adding to the chaos. And Yuno, he was scared.

“Yuno, will you be alright for a moment?” Klaus asked gently, suddenly crouched right in front of the boy, who was unsure of when exactly his manservant got so close.

Yuno wanted to say no, but he couldn’t. Not if he was going to be the Wizard King. So, scoffing, he tilted his head to the right. “Do you even need to ask?”

The manservant nodded, pushing up his glasses on the bridge of his nose. “Right. Stay here. I’ll be back quickly.” And with that, Klaus was gone, the only memory of him being a faint mana trail, and Yuno, Yuno was alone.

He stood there on the dirt road, frozen in place as stale air slapped his cheeks. As the screaming grew, the small boy shut his eyes tight and covered his ears, preferring last night’s dreams over reality. And he hadn’t even met a human yet—

Something ran into the boy’s shoulder, sending him crashing to the ground. He gasped as another weight plummeted into his stomach. Peaking his lids open, he was met with wide, green eyes, a shocking contrast to the bland earth around them.

“Sorry!” The boy shouted, making Yuno wince. Suddenly the weight pressing into his gut was gone and the kid was on his feet, grinning widely. A small hand reached down, warm and welcoming. “Need a hand?” He laughed.

Somehow, Yuno wanted to reach back. Taking the hand, he was yanked upward. And when Yuno lost his balance for a spilt second, the boy’s hands were there setting him right again.

Green eyes sparkled. Then, out of nowhere, the boy pulled away with a gasp. “My potato!” He cried, scrambling to pick it out of the mud before cradling it delicately, adding in a couple cooing sounds for good measure. “And it was for Sister Lily too!” Bemoaning his predicament, the boy seemed to lose all interest in Yuno, which was fine with the latter. It gave him time to observe.

_'So, this is a human?'_ Puzzled, Yuno tilted his head, taking in the child’s appearance. Physically, he didn’t seem all that different: no fangs or tail or the like. The boy’s ears weren’t pointy, sure, and he lacked any markings, but besides that there were no attention drawing differences.

However, the similarities in appearance were contrasted with the immense difference in mana. As in, this human had none. Not a single drop. But even then, it was more than that. What he lacked in mana he made up in something else. Something definitely too little to be elf but too much to be human if the stories were true. Something… festering, dark, intense.

Noting a few more features on the boy, from their similar height to his gap tooth to his propensity to flail his arms around, Yuno began to grow antsy. Why was the boy still focused on some muddied, inedible looking food? And why was he going on and on about his sister? Didn’t he see the mighty elf before him?

Yuno grew frustrated, and just about to reach out to draw the human’s attention, he paused when a group of other boys rounded the corner, bare feet pounding against the flat earth.

“There he is!” One shouted.

“That was _my_ potato!” Another called.

Looking between the ever-nearing group and his new human acquaintance, Yuno frowned when he saw green eyes widen. However, they suddenly narrowed as the ash blonde squared his shoulders.

“I earned it fair and square,” he loudly stated, thrusting the potato into the air. “I _worked_ for this potato to feed my _family_!”

The boys were a few feet away now, sneering as they began to circle like a pack of starving dogs.

“You’re _family_?!” They snickered, pointing out dirt encrusted nails. “How can they be your family when you’re not even _human_!” Chanting some more lines, Yuno watched as the boy’s face hardened, each statement seeming to only make his resolve stronger.

“They _are _my family! I love them and they love me and one day I’m gonna become the Wizard King and give them the bestest life ever!”

One human stepped forward, tossing a rock up and down, a wicked sneer filling his features. “You just don’t it, do you Asta? Humans can’t be the Wizard King, and demons, hah, how hard were you dropped on your head when you were born? I would ask your mother, but wait,” the aura surrounding them darkened, “… you don’t have one.”

And then rocks were flying and all Yuno could do was cower in place as the human savages attacked. He wanted to fight back, but nothing would work. It was if his magic had been bottled, corked tight and not budging.

So, when a sharp rock zoomed directly towards his unblemished face, no wind came to Yuno’s rescue. No mana swirled around him, cocooning him from the outside. Instead, a sword of calloused hands and a shield of a head-banded skull summoned themselves, taking the brunt of the hit.

Next thing he knew, the potato was laying uselessly in the mud, forgotten, and he was being dragged away.

“I don’t care if you hurt me, but don’t you dare touch my new friend!” The little boy – '_Asta was it?'_ – called over his shoulder.

The group charged forward, trampling the spud further into the ground. “New friend?” they exclaimed, voices mixing with anger and awe. “Have you seen his ears, idiot? He’s a frickin’ elf! He’s one of them. He’s a _MONSTER_!”

Those boys’ faces were red, pure hatred plain as day and directed right at Yuno. He’d never seen anything so savage in his life. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever forget it.

But then the elven boy was being yanked around a corner and dragged into the outskirts of an ominous forest, farther from the metal chariot he never believed he could miss so much. Still, Yuno didn’t wish to face those humans again, and so he ran, hand in hand with the ash blonde boy, and kept running until his feet stumbled beneath.

Hitting the breaks, Asta whipped around, concern etched onto his red stained face. “You okay?!” The boy shouted, crouching down in the mud.

“I’m not the one bleeding.” Yuno whispered back, worrying his bottom lip.

Tilting his head in confusion, the human child tentatively reached up to brush a finger against his own temple, coming back with blood speckled finger pads. “Oh, oops.” Yuno froze as the boy chuckled sheepishly, unfazed, and continued, “guess that rock was shaper than I thought. But are you okay?”

“O-of course I am, I’m a powerful elf after all. I’m the next Wizard King.”

The boy reeled away, eyes blown, and underlying sparkle flashing through. “NO WAY! That’s so cool! I’m gonna be the Wizard King too!” Gaped tooth smile and all, the ash blonde pointed toward his chest proudly, rising to a standing position.

Yuno frowned. “You can’t. You’re human.”

“No, he ain’t.”

At the familiar voice, the pair whipped around to find the leader of that savage human group catching his breath.

“He ain’t human, and neither are you. You’re both monsters.” Wiping a trail of snot from his nose, the human boy menacingly stalked forward. Abruptly, Yuno was shoved behind Asta’s back, a small hand out-stretched to protect.

“Leave him alone. So, what if he’s an elf?! That doesn’t mean nothing. Just, I don’t… why can’t we all get along?!”

A dark shadow fell over the forest as the threatening boy sneered in disgust. “Are you an idiot?” He gritted out through clenched teeth. “The elves killed our ancestors and enslaved humans. Right now, my mother is out there begging for food to keep me alive, and you defend one of _them_. Asta, you TRAITOR! The church was kind enough to take a demon like you in and this is how you repay them!”

Releasing a battle cry, the now angry-crying boy charged, fists pulled back.

Asta readied himself. “I don’t care what you say. I don’t care if he’s an elf. If someone needs help, I’ll help them!”

And so Yuno remanded planted in place as Asta took punch after punch and got up again and again. He didn’t even feel the hot tears streaming down his cheeks as he numbly watched the fight, morbid curiosity at the savage power display.

Yuno thought back to his conversation with the mirror earlier this morning, and it dawned on him that these humans would never willingly beg for forgiveness. That neither of them were even seeking it.

Having the audacity to grin, Asta struggled out of the mud and blood mixed ground once more, eyes gleaming. “I’m not done yet.”

“Yes, you are.”

A flash appeared in the edge of Yuno’s vision, though he would know that mana from anywhere, and a pair of steel spirals crashed through the woods, ramming straight into the two fighting boys. With a cry of pain, they were thrusted into some trees before their unconscious bodies tumbled to the earth.

Yuno’s breath hitched at the bloody body. He began to stumble forward. “W-wait, he was protecting me, Klaus. Why did you—"

A firm hand grabbed Yuno’s trembling shoulder. “Come now, Master, those humans care nothing of others. They live for violence, that’s all.” Guiding him away, Yuno could only watch as the bloodied boy disappeared from his line of sight.

“I think we’ve had enough excitement for one day. As soon as we get back you are going directly to the family physician to check for any injuries. Mana to all, I can’t believe I allowed you to be alone!”

Klaus continued to chastise himself as they stepped into the chariot. Around them, all was silent, no more screams to taint the already stale air. For a spilt second, Yuno wondered what happened to the sound, but he was tired. Too tired to question his surroundings. However, not tired enough to allow his eyes to slip shut just yet, only to welcome nightmares of monsters with blunt nails and torn clothes and rounded teeth.

These humans attacked each other for no apparent reason and rolled in mud and blood. They really were the true monsters… except for maybe one, with green eyes and ash hair and a sunshine filled smile. Maybe there was one good one out there, but that couldn’t save the rest from their sins.

No, the stories were true. The humans deserved to be worked like dogs if they were so intent on acting like them.

These thoughts swirling around the young elf’s mind, Yuno finally allowed his weary eyes to close as the chariot flew through the magic barrier once more, away from the sins of the world and back into the mana filled embrace of home.

One day he would become the Wizard King, and when that day came, he would protect his people and eradicate the unblessed humans whose presence contaminated the air. He’d get stronger and stronger. He’d always get back up. He’d never let himself need protection again.

Yuno wouldn’t lose.

*****

"I do not know the exact timeline myself, and it was so long ago that I fear my memory may be a tad fuzzy or undetailed, but I do know that this day was the day my path became clear to me. I _would_ become the Wizard King, and the youngest one at that, this I knew. What I didn’t know was that a dozen years later I would see you once more. What I didn’t know was that from that point forward, my path would never be clear again."


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And... I'm back. Because when deciding between school and fan fiction, fan fiction always wins. That's a scientific fact.

“It was like any other morning in the capital-- meaningless chatter, stuffy rooms, wall after wall after oppressive wall – when I got the news. Another riot had been sparked in the forsaken realm; I was told during my morning tea. At the time, I wanted to leave it to someone else. With the mountains of paperwork I had to get done and a million other tasks at hand, I couldn’t be bothered to take the trip.”

“I told my advisors as much, pointing out that they were plenty of men free to remove any rowdy humans. However, even as I said those words, I was glancing down at the current labor count. The human population was dwindling day by day from disease, overwork, and as of late, punishment for small uprisings. If nothing was to be done soon, I would have to seriously consider the breeding program.”

“At that, I had frowned, attempting to mask my worry. We were relying on the humans too much at that point. All of our food, unrefined goods, labor projects, came from their dirty hands.”

“Ignoring my men, I had risen to my feet, brushing by toward the wall of windows. There, I scrutinized the land below, full of mana blessed elves who wasted their lives on trivial matters. Annoying, I thought. All of it was annoying.”

“The chit chat of my advisors, the sloshing of their drinks, the stench of their cologne.”

“About to order them to leave my sight, I was interrupted by a magical transmission. It was then that I was informed that the most recent uprising had taken place on my family’s property. Moreover, the perpetrator of multiple movements over the last few months had been apprehended.”

“If I had known it was _you_, I think I would have gone back to bed, and slept for a very, very long time. Mana knows I don’t get enough sleep now.”

*****

After a moment of deliberation, Yuno released a long puff of air out of his nose in defeat. At the end of the day, this riot did seem like a task for the Wizard King. Couple that with how close it hit to home, and the young man supposed it’d look rather bad to refuse.

He hated the politics of it all, but to be the Wizard King one must not only hone their magic, but also their leadership skills. A lesser man would maybe have said that they were in the position for too short an amount of time to have fully grasped their role, but Yuno was Yuno. He’d never make such a spineless excuse.

That didn’t mean he needed to take care of all the aspects of this issue, however. What else were Magic Knights for?

“Bring the perpetrator. Jail the rest until further notice.” And with a sweep of his cape, Yuno glided out of his bureau, preparing to meet this thorn in his side face to face.

*****

Yuno waited for what felt like ages in the Throne Room, his gale-like glare battering the white walls. _‘How long can it take to bring one man in. Especially when using spatial magic?!’_

The level of magical incompetency that encompassed his day to day was truly frustrating, but as Wizard King he had to maintain composure at all times, even if he was surrounded by three-clovered buffoons. Not all were completely useless, however. At least that’s what he thought until his ever-organized manservant (now advisor) began taking his sweet time to bring in this human instigator.

Really, it was rather odd that the four-eyed man wasn’t punctual – not that Yuno was worried or anything. He had far more important things to waste his time on these days.

Letting his eyelids droop infinitesimally, the young man leaned his head against the throne and glanced around. The room was practically empty save the massive candle chandeliers providing the only visible light. The metal cages groaned back and forth as he sent a little breeze their way, shaking the flickering flames. His amber eyes lazily watched the lights dance and blur together, imagining he was looking up at the sun. There were no windows here, however. And even if there were, there wasn’t much of a view.

When Yuno was growing up, he had imagined the life of the Wizard King to be a little different. He thought that he’d be able to travel anywhere he desired, fight any monsters he wished, span dungeons and slaughter demons and save damsels. He had naïvely viewed all the politics classes as a little extra to his expansive magic power, because what else did the kingdoms greatest wizard require besides magic?

Now, at twenty-one, Yuno finally realized that for as much as his staff called him mature, and occasionally cold, he might have underestimated this position. A miscalculation. One that he was making up for every day. And putting an insurgent away would be another star to the board. Another little success to make Yuno feel ever close to becoming a _real_ Wizard King.

About to let his lids close completely, he snapped straight at the shift in mana around him. The chandelier shook, some flames going out, as a portal opened from above, and out fell a tangle of pale arms and headache inducing yelps.

Yuno’s mouth hung slightly agape at the slightly darkened sight of his ever put together manservant strewn across the hard floor, glasses resting precariously on the edge of his nose. One more man dropped from the portal, touching down on his man servant’s back without a care.

Smirking, Langris took his sweet time striding off the pile of elf, and Yuno didn’t miss the way he dug his heel into Klaus’ lower back.

The man adjusted his hair with a set of slender fingers before dipping into a half-assed bow. “Sire,” he smirked, eyes holding Yuno’s own gaze in this dominance game the spatial magic user often played. “We have brought_ it_ in.”

Yuno raised a brow, searching the chamber for anything that wasn’t a self-absorbed ass-hole or an over-protective stick-in-the-mud, an came up empty. That is until said stick-in-the-mud began turning across the floor with a groan.

_‘Wait, since when did four-eyes have three arms?’_

“C-can’t breathe.”

It was a whisper in the wind. Yuno watched as the third arm slapped against the floor, blunt nails clawing uselessly.

“Need AIR!” And then Klaus’ body was rising half-an-inch up and being carelessly flopped over like a dead fish. And below the lean elf was a gasping… boy?

Fuming, the child clamored to his feet, falling into an offensive stance even as he continued to pout. “What the heck, man?! One second I’m sitting in a jail cell mindin’ my own business and next you’re throwing some hungry black ball of death at my face! Not cool!” To make his point, the boy stomped his foot petulantly and waved around a sharp finger.

Yuno frowned at this, weren’t the boy’s nails blunt just a second ago… the Wizard King sprang into action, calling forth a maelstrom of mana. It buzzed through the air, encased his skin, sharped his senses.

Noticing the shift in the room, a pair of eyes, one green one red, moved away from Langris’ uninterested orbs and to Yuno’s distrustful ones. Black-streaked skin, midnight hair, one shadow wing – Yuno was standing before a demon.

His blood boiled at the thought of one of _them_ entering his castle, let alone his kingdom. As a child, he hadn’t thought much of the creatures, just knowing they were less than elves. However, as his studies continued into his teenage years and he spent some time training in treasure filled dungeons, he had stumbled upon a scroll.

Bubbling with a thirst for knowledge, he had rolled the parchment out, and read a history of old. One about the demons, betraying the humans, then the elves, and then the humans again, before wiping most of their own species out in a blood-thirsty battle of dominance. Honestly, in comparison, humans could almost be considered decent.

Closing the scroll, he had felt a pang of pity for that smiling peasant boy from his childhood, whose human brethren had once called him a demon.

Pulling out of his thoughts, Yuno sired arrows of wind to surround the demon, but even as he did this, he couldn’t help but think his men had made a mistake in discovering the insurgent, for why on Earth would a disloyal monster ever try to aid humankind?

“Woah, dude, you Qi is off the charts!”

Yuno blanked as the demon continued, eyes gleaming. It seemed the boy’s temper tantrum had come to a halt.

“You must be the Wizard King, I heard you were young, but I didn’t realize how young. That’s so awesome you’re strong enough to be the Wizard King already! I can’t wait till I’m the Wizard King!”

Amber eyes furrowed in confusion. Was this demon threatening him? Would he try to kill Yuno in order to take the throne for himself?

“How does one become the Wizard King, anyway? I’ve always been a little confused on that. Is there like a handbook or—”

“Would you please be quiet?” Asked the weary voice belonging to his disheveled advisor, who was currently leaning against the south wall rubbing his temples in frustration.

Yuno’s frown grew, but seeing that Klaus wasn’t going on the offense, allowed himself to lower the air-rows. The room was still suffocating in his magic anyway; the demon didn’t stand a chance.

“Klaus. Report. _Now_.”

“Sire,” Klaus began, adjusting his disheveled appearance, “this is the one who has been causing so much trouble in the Sword Kingdom recently. He is also the reason for our tardiness.” The silver-haired man sent a withering glare at the demon, who stuck out his tongue in retaliation.

Even after hearing it for himself, Yuno remained confused. “You mean to tell me that this _demon_ has been leading the riots?”

“Not all of them Sire, but he has most certainty inspired many. You may recall the one in Rockwell that proved devastating for the lords’ shipping businesses in that area. Or perhaps the protests of Kiten, which severely weakened our eastern front. Some of the riots this demon has sparked have placed us in quite compromising positions.”

Yuno nodded, never taking his eyes off of the demon whose chin was raised defiantly, and eyes narrowed with determination. The Wizard King sneered in disgust. “So, you planned on weakening the kingdom through civil unrest? How as that worked out for you, besides your compatriots dying of course?”

The air in the room stilled for a tick, and then darkness was wafting off of the demon ten-fold, and a sword was being pulled out of a ratty grimoire.

“**They weren’t supposed to _die_!**” The demon screamed as his hands clasped around the sword. “They were supposed to be peaceful protests! The people were just fighting for freedom because you stupid elves treat everyone like crap! So yeah, maybe humans don’t have fancy-schmancy mana, and maybe they don’t all have clear skin or whatever the hell y’all value, but they _do_ have emotions and they _can_ feel pain and they just **_want to live!_**”

Cold eyes bore into the panting boy. His sword’s tip slowing gravitated away from Yuno’s throat and toward the ground as exhaustion seemed to fill the demon’s limbs. The fact that the boy had used up so much energy just to rant was quite pathetic.

Deeming the exhausted demon to be not much of a threat, he strode forward. Even if the boy was powerful (not as powerful as Yuno of course) he had to be succumbing to the concentrated sleeping trap magic in the air by now. “You mean to tell me that a demon would aid mankind because he believed in their _rights_?”

A throat clearing had him slowing in his movement toward the demon. “Sire, while I do not believe the words myself, interviews with the humans revealed that he really was preaching starting peaceful protests, and also…”, Klaus must have found a very interesting spot on his shoes, “they spoke as if they had no idea he was a demon.”

Yuno almost laughed, for standing in front of him was a black tattooed, sharp-toothed, sword-bearing monster. He had a wing for fuck’s sake. “And you believe a word that comes out of any of those humans’ mouths. We both know they are lying idiots.”

He reached a hand out, about to jerk the sword out of the demon’s claws as the boy swayed on his feet. However, as his hand was about to clasp the hilt, the boy jerked back. “DON’T TOUCH IT!”

He swiveled, half-turning his body and cradling the sword, becoming a wall between the elf and the weapon. Yuno felt anger bubbling through him, such a strong sandstorm of emotion that he rarely experienced. The lowest of the low, an almost completely self-eliminated species, was challenging _him_?

Mana surged around, green light blasting through the dark shadows… and the shadows pushed back.

“I’ve been wanting to meet with you!” The boy roared above the wind. “You’re the Wizard King! You should bring peace and freedom! You should make everyone smile! So why are you acting like this?!”

The chandeliers creaked. Papers flew about haphazardly. Green and red streaks of light filled the chamber.

_‘Peace? Smiling?’_ The harsh storm raging around the two boys was the only thing keeping Yuno from collapsing with laughter. Really, this demon instigator was facing the most powerful mage in the kingdom and yet behaving like a _child_.

Huh, Yuno hadn’t been this amused in a long time.

He hadn’t realized the he was allowing the wind in the throne room to die down until he heard Langris address him in a flat tone from the side. “Your most royal of majesty’s, this monster has done far more than enough to be punished by death where he stands. Why have you not slain him yet?” Yuno could practically hear the spatial magic user’s lips peeling up. “Would you like me to kill him instead?”

On the opposite side, a frown laced Klaus’ voice, tone reprimanding. “You will do no such thing. Now Sire, I do not believe that killing this demon where he stands is the best idea. As your advisor I must say it would be far better to make an example of him before his followers. It would be a statement of power.”

Yuno narrowed his eyes in consideration. This demon had so far proven himself to be quite interesting, that was for sure. He had such novel ideas about the role of Wizard King as well, ones which Yuno had not wasted hours pondering since childhood. Once more, a cold amber gaze ran up the demon’s body, muscled arms trembling and heterochromatic eyes burning. Usually people just cowered before Yuno, ever since he was a lad, giving up to his every desire, and yet…

“Fine. Klaus, produce some chains. Finral, contact the servant’s quarters.”

“When and where should I schedule the execution, Sire?” Asked Klaus, busying himself with steel magic while simultaneously planning the next five years of Yuno’s life. “Personally, a bout of torture before the final sentence might give the public the more appropriate opini—"

“Specs,” Yuno interrupted, hand now mere inches away from the wilting demon, “that will not be necessary. He believes humans are worth saving. He believes that is the job of the Wizard King. He believes he can stand on the same playing field as I.” Yuno watched in sick curiosity as a growing breeze swarmed the demon, pushing and pulling his heavy limbs every which way.

“I intend to turn him into more than nothing. I intend to prove him wrong.” Yuno’s words were ice as he observed the demon falling to one knee. _‘Well,’_ the Wizard King thought, _‘it’s a start.’_

Klaus stepped forward, mouth opening and closing like a fish. “Sire, you can’t mean to say that you—”

“That is exactly what I’m saying. Let all the Kingdom know that their little uprising is over. Their hopes will crumble as he does.”

Glancing over his nose, he saw the demon shaking in place. “I’m not done,” he growled tiredly, body craving the nothingness of sleep.

Yuno pushed a strand of raven black hair back. “Yes, I think you are.” At that, the boy finally succumbed, the wind dragging him down fully to the floor.

About to turn around and continue on with his normal, pointless routine – though he did appreciate this new activity to keep him busy for some time – he paused when a strange noise came out of his advisor’s throat.

“Sire?”

Rolling his eyes, Yuno glanced back in annoyance, only to pause on the demon’s body: tan skin, ash hair, no wings…

Human.

*****

“I must say that upon seeing your body like that, I was burning with a childlike curiosity, such a flame I thought had died long ago. Though you always do seem to bring out the most childish side of me, no matter how hard I try to keep my cool demeanor.”

“Every day I find my walls built up as a child, the future Wizard King, crumbling bit by bit. I know you see it too. I know you smile about it. You have just changed me so much that I…”

“I should apologize for what came next. I didn’t kill you, yes, but it wasn’t as a mercy. It wasn’t even as a power move. No, it was for my own disgusting entertainment. I know I changed rather quickly, but still, those first few days must have been…”

“Like I said, I should apologize, but then I wouldn’t have met you again, and I could never apologize for that—”

“—Hey, get your grabby hands off, Shorty! Here I am trying to tell you my feelings because you always want me to open up and… see, childish. Now are you done?”

“Ugh, of course you were going to say ‘never’. I don’t know why I even bother asking anymore.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


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